Day 276. Victoria didn't go to work today. She wasn't sure why. Maybe she was never going back—just like others from her team. The thing on her mind was Lili.

Ever since Lili moved in, something felt off. Not wrong in a way she could explain—just… wrong. Like some part of her brain knew it, even if the rest kept insisting she was overreacting. She wasn't supposed to think this. It wasn't fair. But it kept coming back. Something didn't make sense about Lili. She couldn't name it. Couldn't pin it down. But it was there. Always there.

She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling when a knock came. She didn't bother to answer. A moment later, the door opened anyway.

Erdmann.

He walked in without a word. His polished black cane tapping against the floor. He wasn't limping. He didn't need the cane anymore.

"You're still using that?" she asked.

He glanced down, then back at her with a half-smile. "I like the look."

"You're partying again, I hear." he added, setting on the old chair by her bed. "Glad you're moving on."

She rolled onto her side. "I'm just passing time. It doesn't mean anything. And why do you care?"

"I don't know. I shouldn't." he said. "Yet I do."

"That's weird."

"Weird how?"

She shook her head. "Forget it. It's nothing. What do you want?"

"Nothing serious." he said. "Just came to check. How are your lungs?"

"Fine, I guess. Got used to it." She smirked.

He smiled faintly. "You know, you don't have to work, Right?"

"What else do I have?"

"I'd tell you to have some fun, but the last time you did..."

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

"Not really." she said flatly.

"he was your friend, right? The first victim."

"So you were watching."

"Only after it happened. Every time this killer acts, the system goes dark. No recordings. No footage. Nothing."

"That's strange."

"Very."

Then he paused. A beat.

"You know?" he said carefully. "You might be getting close to one of the main suspects."

"What?"

"Your friend. The crying girl. First to discover the body."

"Lili?"

"Be careful around her."

She sat up a little, but didn't argue—not really. "She can't kill a fly. Even if she tried."

"The killer took a break yesterday. There was no body" he said. "Whoever it is was... must have been busy."

Victoria thought about it. Lili had was with them yesterday. The entire day. Is it just a coincidence? Or—

No. It's just a coincidence. It has to be. Lili couldn't have done it. She's too... soft. Too not capable of something like that.

Victoria cracked a dry smile. "Maybe he had a stomachache." she joked. "Even killers get sick."

Erdmann laughed. "Do you know what your friend was doing yesterday?"

"She waswith us." Victoria said. "The whole time. You don't have to keep digging after her. Save your time and effort."

"You don't really expect me to do that, do you?"

"If you want to waste your time..."

He laughed quietly as he stood. "Well. If you need anything—if you find any clue, anything suspicious, or you just need someone to talk to..."

"Right." she said, dry and quiet.

He turned to leave.

"You know what?" she called after him.

He stopped.

"There's something you can help me with."

He faced her again. "Of course. Anything."

"I'd like a gun."

"You already have one."

"No." she said. "It was borrowed. I gave it back. I want one of my own. The one clara used to have. I would like that one."

He gave her a long look. "For memory? Or protection?"

She met his eyes. "Does it matter?"

"It does if you want bullets with it."

"Protection."

"Okay." he said. "I can help you with that."

"And the eco-suit." she added. "The one I was wearing when you moved me to that hospital? They never gave it back."

He raised an eyebrow. "Also a memory?"

She laughed. "No. That's for protection."

"Protection from what? You're smart enough to figure the pattern. You're not one of the killer's targets."

"Wouldn't hurt to be cautious."

"Fair enough. You're the only one it fits anyway."

He turned toward the door again. "Anything else?"

"Nope."

"See you later, then."

He walked out, soft tapping of his cane.

"That sound is annoying. Get rid of it."

He didn't look back. "I'm an old man now. I'm allowed to be annoying."

support the story on patreon for the big picture to come true.